Gold markets have rallied rather significantly during the trading session on Tuesday, as we continue to see money flying into the gold markets overall. The uptrend has been very strong for a while, and now that we have broken out to fresh all-time highs, it’ll be interesting to see if and when the momentum picks back up. I think short-term dips will continue to be buying opportunities in a market that has obviously been very strong. (Click on image to enlarge)Underneath, we have the $2800 level that had been previous resistance, but over the last couple of days, we have seen this market truly take off to the upside and show signs of extreme strength. At this point, I have no doubt that we will eventually reach the $3000 level, an area that I had been paying close attention to as a potential target for a while now. Ultimately, I think you have a situation where we will continue to see money flying into this market, if for no other reason than to protect wealth in an age that might see a lot of tariff volatility. Technical AnalysisThe technical analysis is obviously very bullish for this market, and I think at this point in time there’s no way to short the market. The $2000 level should have a lot of support built into it, and even if we were to break down below that level, the $2700 level becomes interesting due to the fact that it is where the 50 Day […]

Gold up ~9% in 2025, hitting new record highs Trade tensions fueling inflation, boosting safe-haven demand Tariffs on China active, Mexico/Canada delayed RSI overbought, signaling potential pullback Gold has rallied over 9% for the first 5 weeks in 2025.Gold has achieved a remarkable milestone, reaching a new all-time high in price every single trading day since it broke through the previous record of $2,790.17.This powerful upward momentum is directly tied to the escalating trade tensions and the growing concern that they will drive inflation even higher. In times of soaring inflation, investors increasingly flock to gold as a safe haven. It is crucial to remember that President Trump initiated a significant policy shift by imposing a 25% tariff on goods from Mexico and Canada, alongside a 10% tariff on Chinese imports.While the tariffs on Mexico and Canada have been postponed for a month, the tariffs on China are already in effect, prompting an immediate retaliatory response from China.With the ADP non-farm employment change and PMI data set to be released at 13:30 and 14:45 GMT, respectively, we are likely to see heightened volatility in gold (XAUUSD).   From a technical standpoint… The Relative Strength Index (RSI) reveals that XAUUSD is currently in the overbought territory.This scenario significantly increases the likelihood of a pullback, as gold bulls (those looking to see gold rally) may begin to secure profits.Such profit-taking could trigger a decline in both gold prices and the RSI, creating a compelling case for potential market corrections.XAUUSD bears, those looking to see the shiny metal decline could pay attention to the following potential support levels: $2,790.17 – November 1st, 2024 high $2,744.05 – 21-day simple moving […]

During my analysis of markets on Tuesday, the Bitcoin market still looks as if it is simply hanging around the $100,000 level. This is an area that is a large, round, psychologically significant figure, and has a lot of headline value as far as financial news is concerned. At the end of the day though, it is essentially stuck in a range, and the $100,000 level is probably what would be considered “fair value” at this point in time. (Click on image to enlarge)That being said, the move forward for Bitcoin is probably higher, and therefore I have been accumulating for a couple of months. Every time Bitcoin drops a few thousand dollars, I add a small portion to my pile. I don’t even believe in Bitcoin, but I recognize that at least at this point in time, the market is poised to go higher over the longer term. It’s not worth overthinking, I just recognize that prices are going higher, despite the fact that it is not actually being used in the real world. Is it a huge Ponzi scheme? Probably, maybe not, who knows? At the end of the day, as a trader, your job is to make money.  Technical AnalysisThe technical analysis for this market is rather flat, at least for the short term. However, long-term traders are clearly pushing this market to the upside, as we have been in a massive uptrend for a couple of years now. I think at this point in time, it’s […]

Potbelly () is a Zack Rank #1 (Strong Buy) that is a fast-casual restaurant chain known for its toasted sandwiches, soups, salads, and hand-dipped milkshakes.The stock has made significant strides since its COVID lows, with earnings momentum on the rise since the pandemic. Now, as it approaches levels not seen since 2018, is it time to dive in and grab some shares? About the CompanyPotbelly is valued at approximately $350 million and employs 5,000 people.The company started as an antique store in Chicago in 1977 before transitioning into a sandwich shop. Potbelly now operates both company-owned and franchised locations across the U.S., emphasizing a warm, neighborhood-friendly atmosphere with live music in some stores.The stock has a Zacks Style Score of “B” in Growth and “A” in Momentum. The stock has “C” in Value, with a Forward PE at 45. Q4 Earnings BeatPotbelly’s Q4 results came in stronger than expected, with a 60% earnings surprise to the upside. The company posted same-store sales (SSS) growth of 0.2-0.3% year-over-year, outperforming the company’s prior guidance of a decline between -2.5% and -0.5%.Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter also exceeded expectations, reaching $8.0-8.4 million versus the guided range of $7.0-8.0 million.Potbelly remains focused on accelerating expansion, with 38 new shop locations already in development for 2025 and an additional 30 new franchise commitments secured in Q4, bringing total open and committed locations to 727.While unit growth came in slightly below target for Q4, the company’s ability to manage costs effectively and drive profitability suggests a strong foundation […]

NZD/USD refreshes weekly high near 0.5700 as receding global trade war risks have improved the safe-haven demand. The USD strives to gain ground on the back of upbeat US ADP Employment data for January. The NZ economy will also face the consequences of the US-China trade war. The NZD/USD pair posts a fresh weekly high near 0.5700 in Wednesday’s North American session. The Kiwi pair gains as the US Dollar (USD) has remained under pressure due to receding risks of a global trade war.Investors expect the trade war to remain between the United States (US) and China as the latter has imposed tariffs on a few items from the US economy in retaliation to President Donald Trump’s decision of a 10% levy on all imports from China.The US  (DXY), which tracks the Greenback’s value against six major currencies, refreshes weekly low to near 107.40. However, the Greenback has got some buying interest after the release of the United States (US) ADP Employment Change data, which showed that the private sector hired 183K workers in January, higher than estimates of 150K and the prior release of 176K, revised significantly higher from 122K.  US Dollar PRICE TodayThe table below shows the percentage change of US Dollar (USD) against listed major currencies today. US Dollar was the strongest against the Canadian Dollar.   USD EUR GBP JPY CAD AUD NZD CHF USD   -0.21% -0.26% -0.78% -0.19% -0.28% -0.51% -0.22% EUR 0.21%   -0.05% -0.59% 0.02% -0.06% -0.29% -0.01% GBP 0.26% 0.05%   -0.56% […]